Government 157: Democracy and Dictatorship

Transcription

1 Government 157: Democracy and Dictatorship Spring 2012 Class: Tues. Thurs. 9:00-10:20 Office: PAC 221 Office Hours: Wed 1:00-2:30 Thurs. 11:00-12:00 Overview: This course is an introduction to comparative politics. The course opens with an overview of the field of comparative politics and a discussion of where it fits in the broader discipline of political science. We will discuss the most important theoretical orientations and peruse the wide array of questions that scholars of comparative politics investigate. After studying the origins of the modern state, the course will focus on the core features of government, discussing their main functions, theories about how they work, and how and why they vary in different countries. The final week in this section will investigate important non-state actors and discuss how they shape politics. The second half of the course concentrates on issue areas of particular interest to scholars of comparative politics. These core questions transcend the politics of individual countries and highlight the challenge scholars face as they seek to develop theories that can explain puzzling political phenomenon across countries even while taking into account the specificity of individual country experiences. Of particular interest throughout the course will be the differences that we find between democratic and non-democratic states, as well as the variation within each group. In addition to the broader class readings and discussions, each student will focus on the politics of a particular country of their choice throughout the course. Regular blog assignments will contribute to a collaborative body of knowledge about a large number of countries. The experience of each of these countries will be used to help us illuminate, discuss, and debate the broader themes that we discuss each week. By the end of the class, students will have a very deep understanding about the politics of a particular country, a strong grasp of the different theoretical approaches most commonly utilized by scholars of comparative politics, and experience using theories to answer political science questions. Objectives: The course is designed to broaden the way we think about the world around us and our place within it. The following are the main learning objectives for the course: Understanding of the main questions, theories, and methods utilized in comparative politics. Increased knowledge about the politics of one specific country Improved critical thinking skills Improved academic writing and speaking skills Expectations: This is an introductory course, so no previous experience in political science is necessary. As in other government courses, in order for you to master the material and make this course a productive learning experience for everyone, you will be expected to do the following: 1. Attend all class meetings. 2. Come to class prepared, having finished the reading and assignments before class.

2 2 3. Be intellectually engaged while in class. 4. Complete all assignments and hand them in on time. 5. Participate actively in class discussions when required. 6. Be respectful of others. This means arriving to class on time and staying until the end. Turn off cell phones. Don t interrupt when others are speaking (including the professor). This is a government class, and due to the nature of the subject there should be a number of debates that may get heated. This is good. However, do not turn an intellectual argument into a personal attack. I expect you to express opinions, and you will be asked to represent positions that are not your own. Please remember to treat your fellow students with respect and dignity so that everyone feels able to participate in a non-judgmental environment that fosters a productive learning environment. Grading: Your grade will be based on four types of assignments in this course: Quizzes, blogs, a midterm exam, and two analytic papers. Most of these assignments are take-home, so we will be focusing on writing throughout the course and will put considerable emphasis on improving writing skills. Blogs: You will create a blog about a country of your choice. The blog will have two components. First, it will have a description of how the weekly theme applies to your country. For example, if we are discussing the legislative branch and electoral system, you will explain how it works in your country. The second component will be a brief (1-2 paragraphs) reflection on the readings, and a discussion of how they pertain to your country when applicable. Please note that blogs work best if you use your own words and don t just cutand-paste from other webpages. I recommend composing your post offline and then cuttingand-pasting it into your blog. There will be twelve entries, and I will count the top ten. Quizzes There will be 5 pop quizzes over the course of the semester. The purpose of these quizzes is to make sure that you keep up with the reading and to help prepare you for the larger takehome assignments. I will count the top four quizzes. No make-up quizzes will be given. Public event write ups: I highly encourage you to attend public events (lectures, films, exhibits, etc.) on campus that have to do with comparative politics. If you go to one of these events and submit a one-page write up that summarizes the event/lecture (puzzle, argument, evidence) and asks three questions, I will grade your write up. Each public event write up will count as ½ a quiz, so if you write up two events, together they replace one quiz grade. Midterm exam: The midterm exam will cover the material from the first half of the course. It will be a take home exam, and you will have one week to complete it. Grades will be reduced by 1/3 (i.e., from an A to an A- or A- to a B+) for every 24hrs or part thereof that the exam is late. Analytic papers: You will write two analytic papers 5 pages in length that compare two works covered in the course using the theoretical and methodological perspectives that we have been discussing

3 3 throughout the semester. Grades will be reduced by 1/3 for every 24hrs (or part thereof) the paper is late. I am not tolerant of cheating or plagiarism. See the Student Handbook s section on the Honor System. I take the Honor System very seriously and will take any violations to the Honor Board. I will attempt to give you all the tools you need to do well on all of your assignments throughout the semester, and do not expect there to be any need for unacceptable assistance. If you have any questions about the appropriate way to use or cite a source, please do not hesitate to ask me before you hand in your paper. The midterm and papers should be submitted in two forms: hard copy to me (PAC 221) and digitally to turnitin.com. The turnitin.com submission time will determine punctuality. Breakdown of grade: In class participation (including group presentations) 10% Blogs 20% Quizzes 10% Take-home Midterm Exam 15% Analytic Papers #1 20% #2 25% Complaints: Grade complaints will not be entertained until 24 hours after the exam/assignment is returned to you or more than two weeks after the exam/assignment has been returned. If you have a question concerning the grade you have received. 1) Wait 24 hours. 2) Write out an explanation of your question, including the reasons why you think your grade should be changed. 3) Submit your written complaint/question to me, and make an appointment to meet either during my office hours or at some other time. Course Readings: There are two required texts for this course, and both are available at the bookstore: Amy Chua, World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability. New York, NY: Anchor Books; Samuel P. Huntington et al. The Clash of Civilizations? The Debate. New York: Council on Foreign Relations All remaining readings are available on moodle. A Final Note: I hope that you will look to me as a resource. I highly encourage you to take advantage of my office hours to stop by and talk about issues raised in the course, or other questions you have. I am very open to feedback about the course, and would appreciate you sharing any thoughts you might

4 4 have for improvement earlier rather than later in the semester. I am very excited about this course on comparative politics, and I hope that we can all have an interesting and productive semester! I reserve the right to change this syllabus without notice Lecture and Reading Schedule Part I. FOUNDATIONS OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS Jan. 26 Jan. 31 Feb. 2 Introduction Theoretical Paradigms in Comparative Politics Mark Lichbach and Alan Zuckerman Comparative Politics: Rationality, Culture, and Structure (Cambridge UP), ch. 1 and 2 Origins of the Modern State Marxism/Structuralism Karl Marx. Communist Manifesto ch. 1 Barrington Moore, Social Origins of Democracy and Dictatorship (Beacon Press,1966) preface and chapter 1. Culture: Max Weber, Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Roxbury, 1998); p CP in the news Europe Feb. 7 Blog 1 Historical Institutionalism: Theda Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions (Cambridge, 1979), Introduction. Rational Choice: Margaret Levi, Of Rule and Revenue (California, 1988), ch. 2. Brief description of your country. Location? Population? Geographic size? Brief political history. What are the top 3 political issues in your country today? Reflection on how the readings are relevant. Part II. ANALYZING POLITICS COMPARATIVELY Feb. 9 Structure of States Federalist vs. Unitary; Big vs. Small Daniel Elazar, Contrasting Unitary and Federal Systems, International Political Science Review 18:3 (1997) pp Peter Gourevitch, Politics in Hard Times (Cornell 1986); ch. 1. CP in the news Asia I (central, south, south-east) Feb. 14 Legislative Branch, Electoral, and Party Systems Alexis de Toqueville Democracy in America Chapter XV: Power of the Majority

5 5 Chapter XVI: Tyranny of the Majority Arend Lijphart Patterns of Democracy (Yale, 1999); Chapters 2 and 3 Feb. 16 Blog 2 Feb. 21 In-class Party Politics Exercise Ware, Alan Parties and Ideology, in: Alan Ware, Political Parties and Party Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press, ch. 1, Section A, pp Jenny White, Islamist Mobilization in Turkey, (Washington, 2002), ch. 4. Legislative politics in your country. Electoral system, types of parties, and their relative influence. Reflection on how the readings are relevant. Executive Branch Max Weber, Bureaucracy ch. XI in Economy and Society (edited by Guenther Roth and Claus Wittich, University of California Press, 1978), pp Chalmers Johnson Developmental State: Odyssey of a Concept pp in Meredith Woo-Cummings ed., The Developmental State (Cornell UP, 1999). CP in the news East Asia Feb. 23 Blog 3 Judicial Branch Michael McCann, Public Interest Liberalism & the Modern Regulatory State, Polity, 21:2 (1988), pp Tamir Moustafa, Law versus the State: The Judicilization of Politics in Egypt, Law and Social Inquiry (2003), pp Judicial politics in your country. What is the legal system? What role does it play in politics? What role does politics play in the legal system? Reflection on how the readings are relevant. MIDTERM HANDED OUT Feb. 28 Blog 4 Mar. 1 Civil Society Alexis de Toqueville Democracy in America Associations Civic Responsibility and Patterns of Voluntary Participation around the World Comparative Political Studies (Dec. 2006) 39:10; pp Quintan Wiktorowicz, Civil Society as Social Control: State Power in Jordan, Comparative Politics 33:1 (2000) What are the key civil society actors in your country? How are they organized? How influential are they? Reflection on how the readings are relevant. POWER THROUGH MOVEMENT Meet in Beckham Hall, Fareweather Movement workshop about power and decision making MIDTERM DUE uploaded to turnitin.com, and hardcopy to me in class

6 6 Part III. HOT DEBATES IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS Mar. 6 Economic Development and Democracy: Seymour Lipset, Some Social Requisites of Democracy: Economic Development and Political Democracy American Political Science Review 53(1) Dietrich Rueschmeyer et al, Capitalist Development and Democracy (Chicago, 1992), chapters 1. CP in the news Latin America Mar 8 Blog 5 Economic Development and Non-Democracy Mary Elizabeth Gallagher, "Reform and Openness": Why China's Economic Reforms Have Delayed Democracy, World Politics, Vol. 54, No. 3. (Apr., 2002), pp Michael Ross, Does Oil Hinder Democracy? World Politics 53:3 (April 201) Economic Development How developed is your country? What are the key drivers of development? Is economic development promoting or detracting from democratic development? Reflection on how the readings are relevant. SPRING BREAK!!! Mar. 27 Blog 6 Mar. 29 Apr. 3 Blog 7 Apr. 5 Amy Chua World on Fire What are the political ramifications of the distribution of wealth in your country? Is there an economically dominant minority? Does your country have a way to redistribute income (e.g. through taxes or strong social welfare programs)? Reflect on how the reading is relevant. Social Movements and Revolutions James Defronzo, Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements Westview (1991), ch. 1. Jack Goldstone, Rethinking Revolutions Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, (2009) 29(1): James C. Scott Weapons of the Weak (Yale 1987), ch. 1 and 2. Xi Chen, Between Defiance and Obedience: Protest Opportunism in China, ch. 11 in Elizabeth Perry and Merle Goldman eds. Grassroots Political Reform in Contemporary China (Harvard UP, 2007). What kinds of social movements have occurred in your country? What was their root cause? Who were the main actors? Were they successful? Reflection on how the readings are relevant. Movie (Goodbye Lenin) FIRST ANALYTIC PAPER DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS

7 7 Apr. 10 Apr. 12 Blog 8 Apr. 17 Timur Kuran, Now Out of Never: The Element of Surprise in the East European Revolution of 1989, World Politics 44, Oct. 1991, Arab Spring, Chinese Winter The Atlantic Sept Religion and Politics Behrooz Moazami, The Islamization of the Social Movements and the Revolution Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East (2009) 29(1) Robert Weller, Alternate Civilities: Democracy and Culture in China and Taiwan (Colorado, 1999), ch. 5. How does religion affect politics in your country? What are the main religious forces, and how are they interacting with politics. Reflection on how the readings are relevant. Richard Shweder, Moral Maps, First World Conceits, and the New Evangelists, in Culture Matters ed. Lawrence E. Harrison and Samuel P. Huntington, pp Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart, Islam & the West 2002 paper: ation.pdf CP in the news Middle East and Africa Apr. 19 Samuel Huntington et al, Clash of Civilizations? The Debate (Norton, 1996) In Class Debate! Apr. 24 Apr. 26 Globalization Helmut Anheier, M. Glasius, and M. Kaldor, Introducing Global Civil Society in Anheier, Glasius, Kaldor (Eds.) Global Civil Society 2001, 2001 pp Author A. Goldsmith, Foreign Aid and Statehood in Africa, International Organization, 55:1 (2001), pp Technology Pippa Norris, Digital Divide (Cambridge, 2001), ch. 11 James Leibold, Blogging Alone: China, the Internet, and the Democratic Illusion? Journal of Asian Studies 70:4 (Nov.) 2011: Take a look at the following websites to get an idea of how online activism is working: Change.org, 350.org, MoveOn.org, RightOnline.org Blog 9 How is technology affecting politics in your country? In what ways is it empowering the powerful? In what ways is it empowering the disempowered? Reflection on how the readings are relevant.

8 8 Part IV. REFLECTING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD May 1 Reflecting Back: The United States in Comparative Context Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone, Journal of Democracy 6:1 (1995), pp Theda Skocpol, Voice and Inequality Perspectives on Politics 2:1 (2004), pp CP in the news North America May 3 Blog 10 May 8 Comparative Politics Today Looking forward: In what ways has politics gone right in your country? Give one example of something that politicians and/or citizens in the United States should learn from your country. Wrapping up FINAL ANALYTIC PAPER DUE May 12 at 12:00 noon. Hard copy to me in my office and digital copy submitted to turnitin.com.